In the days of yore, people found soulmates through mutual connections or chance encounters. In today’s hectic digitized world, we often have little time for dating. Men and women alike are preoccupied with their careers. How can they engage in meaningful interactions? Old-school marriage agencies still exist, but the internet has supplied another solution – dating sites and apps. How do these two options compare, and is online dating really superior to agency services?
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Payment
A marriage agency will charge a fee for its services, and usually, offer a number of membership options. As a company with employees, it simply cannot render services for free. However, you can be sure that the candidates they find will fit your criteria and have the same goals in dating as you.
With dating sites, there is more variety. Some are completely free, selling a lot of space to advertisers that will annoy you with pop-ups. Others offer free trials. Membership fees are rarely prohibitive, given the opportunity to connect to millions of single people.
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Reliability of matches
Overall, marriage agencies offer a more serious approach. First, you are sure the candidates that contact you have also paid for the services. This means they must be just as serious about dating. Secondly, they are simply real people, while on the internet people pose as anyone they want. Communication between members typically involves the following steps:
- filling out a questionnaire;
- reviewing the offered matches;
- exchanging emails;
- communicating by phone;
- arranging a face-to-face meeting.
On the internet, however, you will have to verify candidate’s details yourself. First, dating sites are often infiltrated by scammers and spammers. In addition, people seeking a fling may conceal their true intentions. Secondly, you cannot fully trust the details they share, including their photos. Aside from airbrushing, users may misguide you with pictures from their younger/thinner years. Imagine spending countless hours chatting to eventually discover that the person looks nothing like their profile photo.
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Matching criteria
One key advantage of a marriage agency is the abundance of matching criteria. Agencies often have complex screening processes, and candidates are matched based on shared values and interests, as well as psychological profiles. On a dating app, you may set some basic parameters, but the matches will all be done by computers that do not verify profile information. With an agency, member details are checked, and you have real employees facilitating the search.
The Conclusion
Overall, marriage agencies do what they are supposed to – connect family-oriented people. An agency will verify each user and involve complex screening and matching procedures. Dating sites may be free, but their basic matching parameters are usually insufficient. In general, they demand a lot of time and effort and offer no assistance. However, if you are not yet ready for commitment, dating apps may be a suitable option.
